<p>Congratulations to all the 11’s and their families! It would be interesting to hear what they are doing next, so please share. Just got back last night from Hanover. D was so sad to leave her friends and floormates. Packing her up was a breeze. Highly recommend Hanover Storage. They picked everything up and will deliver to her room in the fall. They store bikes, futons, mini fridges, etc. They were very pleasant and I thought very reasonable for the service they provide. Also, we took Upper Valley Ride to the Airport, as we were flying home from Manchester. Randy was prompt, helpful and very friendly. I highly recommend this new service if you haven’t used it before (802-356-9320). It was not much more than the DM Coach and they take reservations. Gotta say, nothing beats Hanover in the summer. The weather was perfect. Being from the Midwest, I just love the quaint feel of New England.</p>
<p>For those going up for Sophomore Family Weekend, the Chieftain Motel is comfortable, low-key, convenient, reasonable and has a pool that we found very refreshing. (It was hot!) They also have a complimentary continental breakfast, which includes a lot of baked goods, fruit, cereal, and so forth. (No eggs or meats, so it is tough for us enforced low-carbers.) </p>
<p>If you are more into deluxe accommodations and/or the slicker atmosphere of the well-known chains, it probably wouldn’t appeal to you, though.</p>
<p>Just watched S board the Coach to Logan. What a crowd. I am sure it was sad, but he is looking forward to the summer. Hope you all have a great summer. Maybe see you in September.</p>
<p>The commencement was great- very cold, overcast and threatening rain but great anyway. They are VERY well-organized. </p>
<p>The speaker was Conan O’Brien. He was very good-lots of Dartmouth jokes followed by a somewhat serious reflection on his firing from NBC in 2010 and the lessons he learned. His commencement address is on youtube:
[YouTube</a> - Conan O’Brien’s 2011 Dartmouth College Commencement Address](<a href=“Conan O'Brien's 2011 Dartmouth College Commencement Address | CONAN on TBS - YouTube”>Conan O'Brien's 2011 Dartmouth College Commencement Address | CONAN on TBS - YouTube)</p>
<p>Some advice for future commencement attendees:</p>
<p>Prepare for ANY weather. I had a light jacket and an umbrella but I should have brought warm clothes and even a blanket- I was surrounded by people wrapped up in blankets. Some also had ponchos- the rain was heavy the day before, held off during commencement, but started again that afternoon.</p>
<p>If you have a guest with limited mobility, send away for tickets to the “accessible seating area”. You are allowed two tickets for this area. I escorted my 89-year old mother and we sat in that area- right near the stage. My mother is also hard of hearing- I was able to get her an “assisted hearing device” that helped her a lot. We had seven other guests who sat in the regular area- my son paid a friend to get there at about 4:30 am- the friend had no problem saving seats until our guests got there at about 8 am. We paid her $100.</p>
<p>If the weather is bad and you want to watch the ceremony from an indoor location, I heard that the best option is Spaulding Auditorium at the Hopkins Center- there is a large screen and comfortable theater-type seating. There are TV screens in other locations but they are not as large</p>
<p>I had been worried about parking but there were lots of shuttle buses roaming around picking people up from different lots. My husband parked at our son’s frat house and some of our guests parked at the boathouse and walked from there. There were even shuttle buses going to the boathouse and back even though it was not advertised as a place to park.</p>
<p>Finally, try to get a photo with your child after he or she picks up a cap and gown -they are available for a couple of days before graduation day. I suggest this because when we caught up with our son for pictures after the ceremony he no longer had his cap- he had thrown it in the air and did not retrieve it!! I was really disappointed.</p>
<p>At any rate, my son is returning for two terms to get another engineering degree so I’ll have an excuse to stay on college confidential. He is in Boston now training for a rowing competition.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips! I’ll make a note of them. Also, for broke students I have another tip to add! In the spring students can apply to work at C&R (Commencement and Reunion). They must apply and be accepted as this year they had too many applicants (Conan perhaps?) and not everyone was hired. Students work for 10 days…this year it was 6/9-6/19. It’s very glamorous work HA HA. My child who neglects to make the bed when at home, spent the first day vaccuuming rooms and making beds for 12 hours! Sometimes they do the easy desk job of handing out room keys to incoming guests/alums. It can be fun if you get a group of friends to do it together and it’s guaranteed $$$. Actually, rereading the previous post, maybe it is more lucrative being a “seat saver”!!!</p>
<p>My D did the C&R. You are right, there is a lot of competition for those spots, but she had a good time doing the job.</p>
<p>Happy Father’s Day to the “D” Dads</p>
<p>MOVING HELP? In case any are reading and can share an idea.</p>
<p>My 14 stayed at D for interim and summer working. She has to move dorms in next day or so and works all day Monday/Tues. but don’t think she can move in until Tues (new dorm). Being sick, and living down near the river, she has to move to the other side of campus. I couldn’t get there since i live so far away. </p>
<p>Any ideas on how to move all the stuff. Like 8 boxes/totes, plus minifridge, computer chair, TV, etc. With the hills, it may be hard to move it by hand or hand truck. </p>
<p>Any handyman in area or mover/van car rental places? Most of the students are gone. Went to Dick’s house sick (allergies/asthma)… feel bad I am not there.</p>
<p>Many of you know alot and thought I would check. </p>
<p>Thanks and happy father’s day to the D Dads.</p>
<p>PS Can’t get there since I have to change jobs and move offices myself today.</p>
<p>Sorry, I don’t know of any such service. I would suggest Craigslist.</p>
<p>I would volunteer to “encourage” my S to rally some fraternity bros and help, but he is at home right now and won’t be back until Wednesday afternoon. Does she have a friend at a house who might do such a thing? I will be driving S to campus on Wednesday, and we have a Focus station wagon and could easily move her stiff in at most a couple trips. I would be happy to help her then, and I’m sure I could enlist S and possibly some friends.</p>
<p>My S is returning to campus on Tuesday late afternoon. He has a truck on campus and helped move a dozen people before he came home a week ago and enjoyed it. How late can she be out on Tuesday? PM your/her number if you haven’t made other arrangements already. S isn’t home right now so understand that I’m tentatively volunteering him :).</p>
<p>Your other option would be to use a cab. One company has a mini-van that took S to the bus stop from Choates last year with his large load at the end of the year. I think it cost him $7 and he gave the guy a $10 tip for graciously helping load and unload.</p>
<p>Contact Hanover True Value. They do storage where they will pick up stuff from dorm, store and then deliver back to dorm when they return to school. Ask them How much they would charge to pick up her stuff in the dorm and move it to the other side. I believe that they will do it on short notice</p>
<p>My S is going back tomorrow too. Where did the last 2 weeks go? Hanover Pack and Ship was another company that I heard was very good too if that helps. I may call them for helping him in the Fall. We’ll be missing Sophhmore family weekend but hopefully will get there in August to visit.</p>
<p>Thanks All. She is moving to another dorm, but I guess they can’t get the key for the new dorm until later today/tomorrow. She did go to the new dorm and met the UGA who let her bring some boxes over, but not too secure.</p>
<p>She works for the college fulltime, so she can’t do it during the day, been ill, then cell died (new cell delivered today). She used some long kind of of flatbed/handtruck to move some boxes, but it was from the river to the other side of campus (up a hill, etc.) so not the easiest. </p>
<p>She still has to move the mini fridge, tv, computer chair, a few more things but is waiting to see when they give her the key. Problem is she works until 4;30, it is for the college, etc., so I would have thought there was a little more flexibility. I guess getting sick didn’t help. </p>
<p>Getalifemom…thanks for the volunteering. Her phone is’t working yet (cell being delivered). Maybe you can PM me his phone and I will have her call if she still needs help. She works until 4;30 tomorrow anyways. </p>
<p>Some of the places don’t just move your stuff, if you don’t store it offsite with them, but she is there for interim, summer, fall. </p>
<p>…oh well, I’m heading back to work.</p>
<p>Also thought about the cab idea may work if all else fails.</p>
<p>sybie.thanks…just saw your comment on True Value. Will call them, but they were closed last time I tried.</p>
<p>Another option is to call the Big Yellow Taxi service 603.643.8294. It costs $10 to get to Lebanon from campus so I would not guess that it is more to get across campus.</p>
<p>Thanks…it all worked out. Great suggestions and thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>Since some stay in the area a week or 2 for graduation…any ideas for parent to stay in area for a week or 2? I am going up to visit, but D is working on campus most the time. Figured I would go around during the day and then visit after work.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on places to stay? I’ll have a rental car, so it doesn’t have to be right next door. We plan to go to Montreal or something on the weekends.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that reunion weeks start the day after graduation, so there are still a lot of people in the hotels.</p>
<p>Quick question from a new parent-Is Homecoming something parents typically attend or is it generally just students/alums?</p>
<p>I am a parent of a 14 and I attended Homecoming last year. I can tell you it was a very busy weekend for the kids, so I didn’t get to see too much of my D. However, I was very glad I attended and am planning to do so again this year. I loved seeing the traditional run around the bonfire, attending the football game, watching the parade, and in general just taking in the atmosphere of this special weekend. I would say I was probably in the minority, as most parents there seemed to be alumni. I guess you need to weigh the pros/cons. If you want to spend a bunch of time with your child, then I would say go another weekend. But if you want to experience what they are experiencing, it is a great weekend to go. I loved it!</p>
<p>I attended Homecoming last year too but I agree it seemed to be mostly an alumni event. Did enjoy seeing my S for a little bit. I would recommend going at least once though because it was fun seeing the bonfire and all the spirit. Had a great time.</p>
<p>Last year, most parents told me it was for the kids. Wouldn’t mind seeing it once, but I do live pretty far, so i would prefer a different weekend myself, when they have more time to visit. What weekend is it this fall?</p>
<p>(I am heading up north to visit D for 2 weeks this coming weekend.She works on campus, so I will go back and forth between campus, Canada, and visit family in Mass. /NH. D and I will likely drive up to Montreal and/or maybe Quebec for a weekend or 2. Hopefully hotels aren’t too full from all the reunions.)</p>